Friday, July 31, 2020

When Science Fiction Becomes Science Reality

Found at Hot Air under the generic title "Dude", from Da Mail, Father whose penis dropped off due to a blood infection became the first man to have a new one built on his arm - but delays mean it has been stuck there for four years 
A father whose penis dropped off due to a blood infection became the first man to have a new one built on his arm - but delays mean it has been stuck there for four years.

Malcolm MacDonald, underwent a £50,000 NHS-funded procedure to have the appendage attached to his arm, after a long-term perineum infection caused his penis to turn black and fall off in 2014.

He told The Sun how he became a recluse and turned to alcohol after losing his manhood, but has found hope after pioneering surgery meant he could have 'Jimmy,' as he calls it, attached to his arm, in the hope one day it could be moved back between his legs.

A £50,000 NHS procedure saw Malcolm have a penis grafted to his arm, but four years on it has not been moved to his groin.

The 45-year-old mechanic from Norfolk told the paper: 'Of course it is mad - having a penis on your arm. Not even I am used to it. But when you think about it, it's actually amazing.'
Which, in turn reminded me of a SciFi short story I read years ago, probably as a teenager, about a man exiled on a planet named Sheol, where you would grow parts that would be cut off for medical use. Since you can find anything (almost) on the internet, a quick search turned up the Wikipedia entry for A Planet Named Shayol (yeah, I spelled it wrong, but it still found it).
"A Planet Named Shayol" is a science fiction story by American writer Cordwainer Smith (the pen name of Paul Linebarger). Like most of his science fiction work, it takes place in his Instrumentality of Mankind setting. It was first published in Galaxy Science Fiction magazine in October 1961.

The protagonist, Mercer, who lives within the Empire, has been convicted of "a crime that has no name". He is condemned by the Empire to the planet Shayol, in which he lives in a penal colony whose inhabitants must undergo grotesque physical mutations caused by tiny symbiotes called dromozoans. Most grow extra organs, which the Empire harvests for medical purposes. The bull-man B'dikkat administer the prisoners drugs to alleviate the pain of their punishment and from their surgeries. . . 
1961? I'd have been 10, I might have seen it in an anthology, but I did have a subscription to Galaxy I think? Anyway, thanks to Gutenberg, you can read the whole story on line here. It's pretty short.

So, are we ready to start forcing prisoners to grow parts for people yet?

It's Usually a Mistake . . .

To bring a knife to a gun fight. Stacy McCain, ‘Drop the Knife!’
Two weeks ago, we brought you the story of Daniel Hernandez, who was shot to death in Los Angeles after refusing to comply with a police officer’s repeated command: “Drop the knife!” You might think people would have learned this lesson by now, but stupidity is pandemic:
An intoxicated, knife-wielding man was shot as he charged at a Phoenix police officer while threatening to “slice” her throat, wild video shows.
The footage, released Thursday by Phoenix cops, shows suspect Jon David Brouseau, 55, repeatedly threatening to stab a female officer when she encountered him on June 14 in a parking lot of a supermarket.
Officers responded to the scene after someone called 911 to report that a “drunk man armed with a knife” was threatening customers inside, police said in statement Thursday.
“Drop the knife!” the officer tells Brouseau, video shows. “Put it on the ground!”
“No, I’m going to f–k you up,” Brouseau responds before turning his attention to another person in the parking lot whom he also threatened with the knife.
The officer manages to reengage Brouseau, stopping him from approaching the other person as she calls for backup. The suspect then focuses again on the officer, whom repeatedly tells him to drop the weapon, video shows.
“Shut your f–king mouth, b—-h!” Brouseau said as he walked toward the cop and around a police vehicle. “Shoot me – I’ll kill you, you stupid little bitch! I’ll f–king slice your f–king throat!”
Uh, no, sir, you will not.
It looks to me like he was trying to commit "suicide by cop" and I'm glad that he was foiled (he survived) and the cop is not forced to face the moral and mental issues of being forced to kill someone.



I don't expect any additional violence in LA as a result.

Cooler at the Beach

We got some relief from the "heat wave" in the form of a thunderstorm last night that dropped 1.3 inches of rain, and the temperature into the low to mid 70s. By the time we were ready to walk, the temperature was 77 and the radar was promising rain in a little while.
Once we started walking, it wasn't long before a light drizzle set in, but once we arrived back at home it has begun to rain in earnest again, with another third of an inch so far, and continuing.

15 shark's teeth; Georgia got the best, 1 inch "Mako"/hastalis.

Russiagate: Flynn in Flux, Again

Not shockingly, the DC Circus  has decided to take up the Flynn matter en banc on Aug, 11, effectively delaying the resolution of this matter. Capt. Ed at Hot Air (in red type), Breaking: DC Circuit Tosses Flynn Order, Will Rehear En Banc
So much for clearing things up. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals tossed an earlier 2-1 ruling written by Judge Neomi Rao ordering Judge Emmet Sullivan to dismiss charges against Michael Flynn, as requested by the Department of Justice. Instead, the full bench of the appellate court will rehear the arguments presented by attorneys from all three parties — Flynn, the DoJ, and Sullivan himself:
. . .
It took nearly three weeks for the court to rule on Sullivan’s request for an en banc review. That in itself might indicate some reluctance to take on a case that hasn’t exactly reflected glory on anyone involved in it, including most assuredly Emmet Sullivan and the court. The fact that they granted this means that they are concerned that all of the irregularities have added up to a mess that requires very careful deliberation to unravel.
Chuck Ross at Da Caller, Michael Flynn Case Continues As Appeals Court Sets Hearing On Whether To Dismiss Charges. Sara Carter, Flynn Update: Order To Dismiss Case ‘Vacated’ Case Will Be Reheard In August. Sundance at CTH, DC Circuit Agrees to Sullivan Request for En Banc Hearing…
The full bench of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington DC has agreed to consider whether judge Sullivan should be forced to dismiss a felony charge against Michael Flynn. The insanity continues.

Everything about this case has been bizarre including Judge Sullivan’s refusal to accept the unopposed motion to dismiss the case. Now the full DC Circuit panel will hear arguments about why Sullivan should be allowed to continue the case without DOJ prosecution.

It appears the court has pinned their en banc acceptance on the notion that Judge Sullivan had yet to issue a final ruling prior to the writ of mandamus (asking the appeals court to intervene). The panel is asking the DOJ and Flynn defense to explain why “no other adequate means to attain the relief” is possible, if Sullivan has yet to rule.
 Ace, Horrible: Democrats on DC Circuit Court of Appeals Agree to Full En Banc Hearing of Flynn Case
It's plain they're just trying to delay this until they can get a change of AG.
. . .
A majority of the Court of Appeals' members are Democrats.

By the way, the DC Court of Appeals is the most important court in America, after the Supreme Court. That's because it's the court of appeals for almost every single case involving the US government, which of course is located in DC.

And of course it will be the court of appeals for most political trials.
Sundance presents Devin Nunes Discusses Flynn Case and Durham Criminal Investigation…



And in an nice segue to the Barr hearing, Breitbart shows how Jim Jordan Asks Rep. Jamie Raskin Why His Wife Unmasked Michael Flynn. Rabbi Dov Fischer at AmSpec, No Holds Barred at the House Lynch SessionTwist the knife. David Marcus at Da Fed, Democrats Refused To Let Barr Speak Because They Know He’s Right, Brad Slager at Hot Air VIP, Democrats Desperate Enough For Political Leverage They Will Accuse AG Bill Barr Of Murder, Of Course. They don't have to be desperate to do that; it's the norm. Matt Vespa at Town Hall was amused that Seriously, Lady: PA Dem Who AG Barr Laughed at During Clown Show Hearing Took a Racial Swipe at Him. Again, it's the norm for Democrats to accuse any Republican of racism.
Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch accuses the Obama crowd Tom Fitton: Sedition in the Obama Oval Office?
We sued after the DOJ, FBI, and ODNI failed to respond to identical May 20, 2020, FOIA requests for:
All records regarding the January 5, 2017, meeting at the White House between former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, former Director James Comey, President Obama, and others. This request includes all records created in preparation for, during, and/or pursuant to the meeting, as well as any and all related records of communication between any official or representative of the Department of Justice and any other individual.
The meeting took place just two weeks prior to Trump’s inauguration. Last week we released mails between Peter Strzok and former FBI lawyer Lisa Page that included a frantic exchange between top bureau officials in the days prior to and following Trump’s inauguration discussing a White House counterintelligence briefing that could “play into” the FBI’s “investigative strategy.”

Obama’s infamous January 5, 2017, Oval Office meeting is a key moment in the corrupt effort to smear and spy on President Trump and target General Flynn with a malicious prosecution. Rather than delay and stonewall, it is urgent the FBI, DOJ, ODNI release all records about this malicious, seditious conspiracy.
Rick Moran at PJ Media, Dems Fear Release of Durham's Findings Before the Election. I suspect both sides will remain angered and disappointed.  JB Shurk, at AmThink thinks Tick, Tick, Boom, Boom, Time's Up, Obama Goons? Wishful thinking, I think.

John Solomon at JTN reports In dramatic expansion of Russia probe, Senate investigators target CIA, State records
Many of the new requests appear to focus on people who are suspected to have contributed materials to Christopher Steele's discredited anti-Trump dossier or who trafficked information from the opposition research memo to government officials.

For instance, the chairmen demanded records from Pompeo's department concerning:
  • Clinton acolyte and former Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, who has admitted he received and provided copies of the Steele dossier
  • former Clinton associates Cody Shearer and Sidney Blumenthal. Shearer, a relative of Talbott, wrote a dossier similar to Steele's that was provided to the former MI-6 agent.
  • former State officials Victoria Nuland, Jonathan Winer and Kathleen Kavalec, all of whom had contact with Steele as he was developing his dossier.
The senators also made their most sweeping demands for records from CIA, including any information the spy agency provided the FBI concerning the credibility of Steele as a human source.
Chuck Ross at Da Caller on the later, GOP Senators Request A Slew Of Trump-Russia Records, Including About Dossier Source Igor Danchenko
Grassley and Johnson are asking the CIA to provide any records related to Steele from January 2016 onward. They are also asking the agency for documents regarding Carter Page and George Papadopoulos, as well as two mystery professors: Stefan Halper and Joseph Mifsud.

Halper met with Page and Papadopoulos in 2016 as a confidential human source for the FBI. Mifsud was the Maltese professor who met with Papadopoulos in London in April 2016, and allegedly made reference to the Russians having dirt on Hillary Clinton.
And Chuck reminds us, FBI Finds Two ‘Material’ Errors In Audit Of 29 FISA Applications. The Carter Page FISAs Had 17 ‘Significant’ Omissions. I wonder why? No, I don't really.

Sean Davis at Da Fed finds, Ahead Of Election, Adam Schiff Tries To Kickstart Yet Another Russian Interference Operation. He his kind of monomaniacal, isn't he. I wonder about his thyroid meds.
“Whether he knows it or not, Adam Schiff is Vladimir Putin’s marionette right now,” Dr. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), who also serves on HPSCI, told The Federalist. “Everything he’s doing is dividing us as Americans. Maybe Schiff knows he’s a puppet of Putin and that’s why he does this, or maybe he just can’t see the effects of his actions.”

“There’s so much irony here when you consider that it’s the Democrats who colluded with Russians in 2016,” Wenstrup added. “Let’s not forget the episode of Schiff trying to acquire nude pictures of Donald Trump from people he thought were Russians but were actually comedians.”

In 2018, Schiff was caught colluding with Russians to obtain naked pictures of Trump. What Schiff didn’t know at the time was that he was being pranked by two Russian comedians. Schiff is heard in the audiotape of the conversation asking the Russians if they could provide the photos and any other recordings they might have of Trump to Schiff’s committee.

“Obviously we would welcome the chance to get copies of those recordings,” Schiff told the Russians.
Breitbart, Exclusive — Republicans Mull Ethics Charges Against Schiff Ally as Democrats Turn Back to Failed Russia Strategy
House GOP leaders are considering pursuing ethics charges against Democrat Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) for alleged misconduct he engaged in against Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) at an Intelligence Committee meeting on Wednesday morning.

“He was very rude,” Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR) told Breitbart News on Wednesday evening of Maloney’s behavior towards Nunes and others during the committee meeting earlier in the day. “Members don’t question other members in hearings. This wasn’t on the agenda for the meeting. It was really inappropriate in my opinion, and pretty childish.”
Legalized dueling offers interesting possibilities.

Via the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 07.30.20 (Evening Edition), Bacon Time informs us yesterday was National Whistleblower's Day in Eric Ciaramella

Last, and least, Ace offers Showtime To Run Propaganda "Activistic" Film Based on Comey's Book of Lies, Just In Time for the Election. Just another work of fiction. Why would anyone take Jim Comey at his word, he lied to the President of the United States.

Fish Pic Friday - Gianna Goots

This week's fish monger is Gianna Goots, aka Gianna Nichole (married name?). From the fish she posts on Instagram, Yellowtail, California Rockfish, and Corvina, she seems to be that rare fish babe located on the Left Coast.

She is one of the new Pelagic Girls:
Gianna Goots moved to San Diego county a few years ago and her love for fishing has grown ever since. Her first experience with fishing was in Alaska, and recently picked up even more when she met her boyfriend Clayton a few years back. The two go out weekly, catching calico bass, yellowtail, dorado and tuna off SoCal. When Gianna caught her first yellowfin tuna, she followed the tradition of eating the tuna’s heart!
Yum!
She plans to visit Florida and Mexico soon and hopes to meet some of the friends she’s made online who share the same love for fishing. Gianna continues her passion for fishing and aims at catching a variety of species, but her ultimate goal is to someday catch a big Roosterfish.
Me too. I had a chance once and missed...


Linked at Proof Positive in the weekly Best of the Web* and at The Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Summertime 2D Girls up and running as per normal.

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Climate Alarmist Commits Kinsley Gaffe

A Kinsley gaffe occurs when a political gaffe reveals some truth that a politician did not intend to admit.  The term comes from journalist Michael Kinsley, who said, "A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth – some obvious truth he isn't supposed to say." 
At WUWT, Warmist Eric Holthaus admits it: ‘The climate emergency isn’t about science, it’s about justice’

They also have a few other fun facts about Eric Holtus:
Holthaus is also revealing how identity politics has taken over the climate debate. See: NASA scientist Dr. Kate Marvel links ‘climate change’ to ‘white supremacy’ – ‘We’ll never head off climate catastrophe without dismantling white supremacy’ – Calls for climate & racial ‘justice’

Holthaus, a long time prominent climate activist has praised the UN IPCC reports. See: Warmist Eric Holthaus: New IPCC report calls for ‘rigorous backing to systematically dismantle capitalism’

Holthaus has also injected his full emotions into his climate activism. See: ‘I lose sleep over climate change’ – Warmist Meteorologist Eric Holthaus admits to ‘soul-crushing despair’ – ‘I confess: I need help’

Warmist Eric Holthaus — who publicly vowed never to fly again — admits to flying again!

Climate expert Eric Holthaus ‘failed out of’ degree in meteorology at college – ‘Realized it was a whole of math and computer sh*t’ & ‘upper-level-math’

Climate activist Eric Holthaus likes COVID lockdown impact on car travel: ‘Cars are the problem, not the answer’ – Rips ‘monstrous highway systems’ – Envisions ‘car-free era’ in cities
Our "expert class" isn't.

Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes

Bad causes attract bad people, and the so-called “anti-fascist” mobs in cities like Portland are not composed of our Best and Brightest. There is abundant evidence that their average IQ is below room temperature. Gateway Pundit calls attention to a typical example of Portland’s Antifa mob, Edward Thomas Schinzing, 32, who is now facing federal arson charges “accused of setting and spreading fire May 29 inside the Justice Center at the start of two months of protests in Portland.” How did the feds apprehend this criminal genius? Well, they were helped by the fact that (a) Schinzing was shirtless during the “mostly peaceful” protest, and (b) he has his rather distinctive surname tattooed on his back
Consider, for example, 23-year-old Samuel Young of Aurora, Colorado, who decided he needed to bring a pistol to a “peaceful protest” that was obstructing an interstate highway:
An arrest affidavit obtained by FOX31 and Channel 2 on Tuesday includes witness accounts recalling the shooting that left two people injured during a protest in Aurora on Saturday.
Samuel Young, 23, faces four counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree assault. He’s accused of shooting at a Jeep Wrangler that drove through the protest after demonstrators blocked both directions of Interstate 225 near East Sixth Avenue.
Two protesters were wounded in the shooting: 21-year-old Joseph Quinton Sagrillo and 25-year-old Creyton Loud.
Sagrillo was shot in the leg; Loud was shot near his temple. Both survived.
The Jeep’s two occupants were not injured. According to the affidavit, the Jeep was driven by 27-year-old Kyle Faulkison. Its passenger was 27-year-old Gregory Goodenough.
The affidavit includes a number of witness accounts.
And via Ed Driscoll at Insty, FASTER, PLEASE:
Dozens charged with federal crimes in Portland riots. “Federal law enforcement in Portland has arrested 74 people and charged 60 of them with federal crimes for actions they allegedly took against federal police and facilities in the Oregon city, according to the Justice Department. DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec announced Monday afternoon that U.S. attorneys have also arrested 236 people and charged 238 nationwide in cases related to ‘violent opportunists’ and ‘civil unrest.’”
A decent start.

7/30/20 Beach Report

High tide, and hot, high 80s to low 90s with some clouds to give a little cover and a rising SW wind that doesn't do much to cool you off.
 Skye knows how to beat the heat, though. There are three small freshwater streams on the walk that come out of the forest cooler than the Bay. She uses them all.
A fairly ordinary day for fossils, 12 teeth, a couple of them decent, if not exciting.

Russiagate: Barr Killed It

Well, the reviews are still coming in and both sides agree that Barr walked away unscathed, leaving the Democrats on the committee tearing their hair in rage. Althouse, who read the Atlantic, "House Democrats have been waiting for more than a year to grill Attorney General Bill Barr, a man they’ve accused of all manner of professional misconduct..."
"Today they finally had their chance, as Barr testified, at long last, before the House Judiciary Committee. For Trump and Barr’s toughest critics, however, it was a frustrating experience....
Also the NYT:
Scrolling to the lower portion of the NYT homepage, I do find an article: "Barr Clashes With House Democrats, Defending Responses to Protests and Russia Inquiry/The deployment of federal agents to confront protesters and rioters and attacks on the Russia investigation highlighted a contentious hearing." The news is that Barr clashed with Democrats and the hearing was contentious — not that the Democrats clashed with Barr or that anyone in particular was contentious. The Democrats get cover as the squander the opportunity to investigate and appropriate the occasion to make political speeches
WaPoo whines that Democrats seek to shame Barr over politics at the Justice Department
Lawmakers spent months seeking Barr’s testimony on a host of issues related to the Trump administration’s interactions with the Justice Department. With the attorney general finally seated at the witness table, Democrats mostly made speeches or talked over him as he attempted to answer their questions, seemingly squandering any chance of getting new information or an admission out of him.

“This is a hearing; I thought I was the one who was supposed to be heard,” Barr said in exasperation.
Slate (a dull gray rock), Democrats Finally Had Their Chance to Grill Bill Barr. They Blew It. Marty Johnson on Da Hill, Democratic attorneys criticize House Judiciary Democrats' questioning of Barr

Cortney O'Brien at Town Hall, Watch: Barr Laughs at PA Lawmaker Who Doesn't Even Know What Policy She's Asking Him About and Ace, Democrat AWFL Karens: AG Barr Mansplained to Us and Manspread All Over the Capitol
Nothing says "strong, empowered woman" like whining like a little girl for Daddy to come protect you literally every fucking five minutes.

These smelly bitches did nothing but attack this man yesterday and then refuse to let him respond -- but now they're out there whining petulantly that The Bad Man Laughed At Us and "Talked Over Us" While We Were Group-Defaming Him.
Michael Goodwin at NYPo, AG Barr destroys Jerry Nadler in another House Democrat testimony disaster: Goodwin, "He came, he saw, he ate their lunch. Bill Barr, denied a meal break, feasted instead on a gaggle of Democratic amateurs."  Andy McCarthy at NR, Democrats Make Mockery of Barr ‘Hearing’
Especially at the beginning of the hearing, Barr easily parried the hostile questions — soliloquies with question-marks at the end. He picked apart their misstatements and disingenuous premises, and answered with aplomb. Democrats thus dropped the threadbare pretense that this was a hearing. In the main, the rest of the afternoon was devoted to raging, mock-anguished perorations about how Trump is a dictator and how Barr is helping him destroy our democracy.
. . .
What happened on Capitol Hill Tuesday was a debacle to despair over because Democrats do not act this way because they are preternaturally rude. They act this way because their voters expect and demand that they act this way.
Roger Kimball, Da Spec, The bewildering bombardment of Bill Barr "His would-be inquisitors in the Democratic party have succumbed to a virus far more toxic than the Wuhan flu."
I assume that Barr’s Democratic questioners huddled beforehand to work out an obfuscating strategy, because nearly all of them bombarded him accusations masquerading as questions and then, when he attempted to answer, rudely interrupted him and informed him that they were ‘reclaiming’ their time. It all seemed like a comic skit until you realized that these malevolent clowns are the people we have elected to govern us. Hank ‘Guam’ Johnson, Eric Swalwell, Pramila Jayapal, David Cicilline, Zoe Lofgren, Steve Cohen: I am not sure who gave the most despicable performance on Tuesday. They are all horrible people.'
Fred Lucas at Da Signal has 6 Big Takeaways From the Attorney General’s Capitol Hill Testimony. Not to be outdone, Matt Margolis at PJ Media has The Top Ten Epic Moments During the House Judiciary Committee Hearing With AG Barr, with video clips!

CNS News reports that AG Barr: U.S. Attorney John Bash to Probe Unmasking and Margo Cleveland at Da Fed thinks Barr’s Testimony May Have Revealed Another Obama-Biden Scandal
While in late May Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec had revealed during an interview with Fox New’s Sean Hannity that Barr had assigned Bash the job of investigating the unmasking, Barr’s testimony added an interesting new texture to that prior announcement. Given Grennell’s declassification of the list of Flynn’s unmaskers from November 8, 2016 to January 31, 2017, one might have reasonably assumed any investigation would be limited to the propriety of those unmasking requests.

But when Jordan asked for clarification that Bash was investigating the unmasking requests during the presidential transition period, Barr responded that the Texas U.S. attorney’s investigation was “actually” focused on “a much longer period of time.”

This response, coupled with Barr’s comment that some of the requests “do not readily appear to have been in the line of normal business,” suggests the possibility of another brewing Obama-Biden scandal—separate and apart from SpyGate. Barr’s comment seems also to confirm Jordan’s concern that several individuals in the Treasury Department sought to unmask Flynn.

“For what possible reason could the Treasury Department need to unmask Flynn?” Jordan left unsaid. Likewise, the extensive unmasking by Obama United Nations Ambassador Samantha Powers, or those working for her, suggests the Obama administration cared little for the civil liberties of those whose conversations were innocently caught in the surveillance of foreign targets.
From quillette, a liberal strayed from climate and energy orthodoxy reports similar treatment at the hands of Democrat congresscritters. I Was Invited to Testify on Energy Policy. Then Democrats Didn’t Let Me Speak
What, exactly, had I said that was so dangerous as to lead Democrats to engage in character assassination and undermine liberal democratic norms? Nothing I hadn’t already said last January when I testified before Congress about climate change and energy.

Back then, I testified that climate change is real but isn’t the end of the world nor even our most important environmental problem. I pointed to the inherent physical reasons renewables can’t power a high energy industrial civilization. And I noted that cheap and abundant natural gas and nuclear, not industrial solar and wind, have been the big drivers of emissions reductions.

I further made the case that climate change was distracting us from a far greater and more urgent threat, which is the global domination of nuclear energy by China and Russia, which could be disastrous for US interests and the future of liberalism and democracy around the world.
Alex Nitzberg at JTN, Congressman: DOJ could pursue treason charges over Russia probe misconduct, and Sens. Johnson, Grassley accuse Democrats of 'disinformation' about their foreign interference probe  while Ashe Schow at Da Wire reports Former Obama Adviser Valerie Jarrett Wants To Move On From Origins Of Trump-Russia Investigation: ‘It Was Four Years Ago’. I'll bet she does.

Da Wire, GOP Senators Investigating Biden’s Family Accuse Democrats Of ‘Disinformation Campaign’ "Not only is that an apparent classified leak, but that allegation is false and you know it..."
The senators’ letter, sent Tuesday to Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), begins by asserting that a July 16 letter asking once more for a member briefing from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and relevant members of the Intelligence Community (IC) flew in the face of the FBI advising “all of us during a March 2020 staff briefing that there was nothing to preclude the continuation of our investigation.” Johnson and Grassley note that the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee had heard months ago that the FBI and intelligence agencies “did not have any additional information to provide.”

Grassley and Johnson then point out that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) also wrote a letter asking for an FBI briefing; Grassley and Johnson assert that news reports regarding the classified part of that letter indicated that it falsely accused the GOP senators of obtaining information from foreign nationals about former Vice President Joe Biden.
Not only is that an apparent classified leak, but that allegation is false and you know it because we told you it was false right after those reports were published. Yet, as with your repeated public requests for a member briefing that seem designed to suggest that we are somehow denying members access to briefings and relevant intelligence, Democrats and Mr. Biden’s campaign prefer to knowingly repeat false information so the liberal media will keep reporting on it. Continuing to repeat false information, including apparently classified information, will not make the allegations true. In fact, it is the very definition of a disinformation campaign—the same conduct you are falsely accusing us of participating in.
Ace finds Salty Rivers of Hot Shame Run Down the Fat Traitor's Cheeks of John Brennan when he reads at WaEx,
... as John Brennan learns that he is no longer permitted to access classified information.Former CIA Director John Brennan, a vocal critic of President Trump, found out he had been blocked from accessing his classified notes and records while working on his new memoir.

He writes in his forthcoming book, Undaunted: My Fight Against America�s Enemies, at Home and Abroad, that after months of "haggling" he discovered the CIA was abiding by the directive Trump gave in August 2018 "that purportedly forbids anyone in the intelligence community from sharing classified information with me."

The White House confirmed the directive was being enforced, which is news considering the New York Times reported in May of last year that the president never revoked Brennan's security clearance.

"The President has constitutional authority to control access to classified information, which he exercised here in view of Mr. Brennan's erratic behavior and the President�s belief that access to classified information should be solely for the benefit of the government and the American people," White House spokesman Judd Deere said.

Brennan, who acknowledges he is in the "crosshairs" of the criminal inquiry into the Russia investigation led by U.S. Attorney John Durham, claimed he asked the CIA for his official records including his personal notes and any classified CIA documents that he had signed, but the agency denied his request.
Good. Hopefully he will end up in prison.

Thursday Tanlines



The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Summertime 2D Girls up and running as per normal.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Fact Check: True!

Shore Daily News.Com, Sea Nettles More Plentiful in the Bay than in Recent History
If you swim in the Chesapeake Bay, you may encounter more sea nettles than in recent years. The sea nettle can cause a painful sting when encountered. Sea nettles were very plentiful in the 60s and 70s and were so thick at one time that most swimming ceased from early July until the water cooled in early September.

This year bay temperatures are warmer than usual resulting in more sea nettles which thrive in warm water. The surface temperature on some of the creeks on the Eastern Shore is approximately 90 degrees. Sea nettles can also appear on the seaside, although it is rare.

Sea nettles do provide ecological benefits to the bay. They consume large amounts plankton preventing it from growing too thick and smothering oyster beds and causing other damage.

According to an experimental map by NOAA the thickest concentration of sea nettles is currently in the western part of the bay. According to the map the chances of encountering a sea nettle are 80 to 100% on the western shore. On the Eastern Shore, the chance of encountering a sea nettle is between 50 and 70% which is higher than it has been in many years.

If you encounter a sea nettle, one traditional remedy is to apply meat tenderizer to the sting area. Also baking soda may neutralize the effects of the sting. While sea nettle stinger contain a small amount of poison, it is not enough to cause any harm other than irritation of the skin. Most sea nettle stings disappear within about 30 minutes.
I like to tell people there's a sure cure for Sea Nettle stings; 1 hour.

Two years ago, we had an incredibly wet spring and summer, and the Sea Nettles never showed up. I might have seen two all summer long. We were hoping against hope that the fresh water would kill all the polyps that generate the adult nettles, and we would bet a break. Last year they were moderate, coming in late and dying out early. This year they started early (mid June) and are still going strong. Even if you don't go in the water you risk slipping on stranded jellies. Some days are worse than other; without knowing too much, I suspect that east winds tend to drive them across the surface of the water, into the shallow water on our side and the tides strand them on the shore.

Reclaiming My Russiagate Time

Of course, the big news of the day was Attorney General William Barr's "testimony" before the House Committee on Unanswered Speeches. I featured his prewritten opening statement yesterday. Lisa Barkoukis at Town Hall said Barr Holds Nothing Back in Opening Statement Before House Judiciary Committee. You can watch the entire proceedings (I don't recommned it if you have high blood pressure) at CTH in sundance's 10:00am ET Livestream – U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr Testifies to House Judiciary Committee…. It got off to a late start because Rep. Nadler got into a car wreck before he got into this car wreck. Sundance also passes along Jim Jordan Opening Statement: “They Are Attacking Bill Barr” to Protect Themselves From “Obama Spying Operations”…



Matt Palumbo at Bongino, Jim Jordan Exposes Jerry Nadler During AG Barr Hearing. Ugh, sorry about that mental image. Ace, Barr Hearing Thread
As you might guess, Democrats spent their time then tacitly, or even explicitly, supporting the terrorism of their antifa allies and BLM shock troops.

Jim Jordan's opening statement/"question" was a video recap of the "mostly peaceful protests."

Nadler shrieked about it.
Noted by Sundance,  AG Bill Barr Outlines the Scope of USAO John Bash “Unmasking” Investigation….
During a questioning session by Rep. Jim Jordan, AG Bill Barr outlines a secondary, parallel, investigation ongoing by U.S. Attorney John Bash [@01:40 of video]. In his response AG Barr notes the breakout investigation assigned to Bash to review the unlawful unmasking of Donald Trump campaign officials.



Matt Vespa at Town Hall highlights the phrase of the day, The One Phrase That Must Be Banned Immediately After House Democrats' Shameful Hearing with AG Barr and Stacy McCain, Democrats Debut New 2020 Campaign Slogan: ‘Reclaiming My Time!’
Yesterday, while I was working on an American Spectator column, my office TV was tuned to the House Judiciary Committee hearing where Attorney General William Barr was testifying and the performance by the committee’s Democrats of a loathsome kabuki theatre. Every Democrat unloaded a sort of sermon accusing Barr of various malfeasances — treason, conspiracy, murder, etc. — and then, when Barr would begin to answer, his interrogator would interrupt: “Reclaiming my time!”

Barr remained calm during this abusive treatment. At one point, interrupted by California Democrat Lou Correa, Barr responded: “This is a hearing. I thought I was the one who was supposed to be heard?”





Damn that Barr, threatening to follow the law! More, WaEx, Barr: Irresponsible for Pelosi to refer to federal officers as 'storm troopers' and at Da Wire, AG Barr Defends Sending Federal Agents To Portland: ‘Since When Is It Okay To Burn Down A Federal Courthouse?’
“‘The president wants footage for his campaign ads, and you appear to be serving it up to him as ordered,” Nadler claimed. “The protesters aren’t mobs, they’re mothers, they’re veterans and mayors.”

“What unfolds nightly around the courthouse cannot reasonably be caused protest, it is by any objective measure an assault on the government of the United States,” Barr fired back. “Since when is it OK to burn down a federal courthouse?”

“The rioters come equipped for fighting,” Barr said, adding that what’s taking place nightly in Portland “cannot reasonably be called protests.”

Nadler then claimed that Antifa, a loose coalition of anarchist groups likely behind the unrest in many major cities, was also a “myth.”
Via sundance, DOJ Spokesbabe Kerri Kupec Discusses Tuesday’s Attorney General Testimony….



A "new" Declassified Senate Intelligence report shows strong doubts about Steele Dossier in December 2016 "CIA officials expressed strong doubts over FBI officials' efforts to include the Steele dossier in a report" (Fox)  and at Da Caller, Chuck Ross, Declassified Senate Report Details ‘Bitter Argument’ Between CIA And FBI Over Steele Dossier. Confirmation of old news.

Also Fox reports on a work of fiction, Former FBI agent Strzok to release book on Russia, Trump before election "Strzok is the latest official to come out with a book on Trump" and by Chuck Ross at  Da Caller, Peter Strzok Set To Publish Book Claiming That Trump Is Compromised By Russia. Remember, no one signs an oath before writing a book.

Julie Kelly, at AmGreat, reveals that the  Brookings Institution Flush with Qatari Cash, NeverTrump Donors. In the last few days it's been revealed that Brookings has also been involved with the production and distribution of the false, vile and salacious Steele Dossier.
Accepting millions from a state sponsor of terrorism, foisting one of the biggest frauds in history on the American people, and acting as a laundering agent of sorts for Democratic political contributions disguised as policy grants isn’t a good look for such an esteemed institution.
Twitchy, BOOM! Maria Bartiromo goes OFF while Valerie Jarrett squirms, avoids answering questions on new evidence around Steele dossier (watch)
Finally, another Sidney Powell visitation from sundance, Lou Dobbs and Sidney Powell Swing The Truth Hammer…


Wednesday Wetness

Expecting another hot day:


The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Summertime 2D Girls up and running as per normal.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Chicken Shit Solution in the Pipeline

Natural gas pipeline, chicken litter bio-refinery partner on Eastern Shore energy project
The Dover-based Chesapeake Utilities Corp. announced earlier this month it would diversify its sources of natural gas with a plentiful and problematic Delmarva resource: chicken litter.

Via a partnership with CleanBay Renewables, an enviro-tech company focused on sustainably sourced natural gas, Chesapeake Utilities will deliver natural gas generated from chicken litter to customers on the Eastern Shore, according to a company announcement.

"As Chesapeake Utilities Corporation and its subsidiaries continue to move forward with regional expansion, the goal is to create a renewable natural gas ecosystem directly connected to Chesapeake Utilities' infrastructure," the announcement states.

Chicken litter is a combination of manure, bedding material, feathers and spilled feed.

The litter is a source of phosphorous and nitrogen (on average, a ton of dry litter contains 60 pounds of nitrogen and 40 pounds of phosphorus) which are nutrients that, while necessary for life, are overabundant in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and cause aquatic habitat destruction.

Chicken litter can be converted into biogas, a type of natural gas that consists mostly of methane and carbon dioxide. Because chicken litter can be a problem on Delmarva due to its environmental implications and abundance, turning it into biogas is an eco-friendly solution, CleanBay says.

"Through this partnership, Chesapeake Utilities Corporation has an immediate and scalable opportunity to further impact climate change," said Thomas Spangler, CleanBay Renewables' executive chairman, in a statement. "Our process to turn poultry litter into renewable natural gas is a sustainable, environmentally friendly way to both positively influence our region's poultry ecosystem and reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions for end-use customers, including powering vehicle fleets with clean, green energy."

The Westover bio-refinery can repurpose more than 150,000 tons of chicken litter annually, which is equal to 765,000 million British thermal units of natural gas — enough energy to power about 10,000 homes, the announcement says.
I'm all for it, but the article doesn't deal with the other byproducts of biogas production from chicken shit, the nitrogen and phosphorus, which are the focus of the problems of applying chicken shit to farm fields in the Bay area. If I read this article on the production of biogas from manure, in addition to the biogas (mostly methane and CO2), the byproduct is a sludge, which presumably still contains the bulk of the N and P in the original shit.


Now, one could imagine that the sludge is trucked out of the Bay region to be put on farm fields, but simple economics suggests it will be used fairly close to the point of origin. It's not going to magically disappear.

Russiagate, Are We There Yet?

Well, that depends on where there is, doesn't it?John Solomon at JTN digs into Igor "Iggy" Danchenko's back story in Revelation of Steele’s primary source triggers focus on think tank tied to Clinton, Biden. Everywhere you dig in the Russiagate story you find Democrats pushing lies. Paul Sperry at Da Fed, FBI Docs: Source For Federal Surveillance Of Trump Campaign Made Up ‘Rumors’ With Drinking Buddies. FBI finds if you get a bunch of Russian ex-pats drunk they'll say just about anything you need to open an investigation on whoever it is you want to investigate.  Ace, "Primary Subsource" for Steele Dossier and Convicted Public Drunkard Danchenko Got His "Rumors" About Trump from His.... Drinking Buddies
The FBI didn't ask if he had gotten sober, as a court directed him to do, before concocting his Trump Tales.

Who knew that you could research the links between the Kremlin and a New York real estate magnate just by going to the local dive bar you always go to?

Who knew that a convicted sloppy drunk's and likely hardcore alcoholic's preferred booze shooting gallery just happened to also be a hang-out for International Contacts with Deep Ties to the Kremlin and as many Free Peanuts as You Can Eat?

This guy was repeatedly prosecuted for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, and ordered to seek both sobriety and mental health counseling, and the FBI didn't think it should be noted that his "Trump rumors" came from his alcoholic Russian dregs.
Andrea Widburg at AmThink offers Help for those struggling to understand the immensity of the Russia hoax. Unfortunately the people who fail to understand the immensity aren't even trying, let alone struggling.
The Deep State’s machinations in trying, first, to prevent Trump’s election and, second, to undo it are confusing. It’s easy to get lost in a sea of names, many of them Russian or Ukrainian; dates that stretch out over several years; almost unlimited lies; and the complicated truths behind those lies. The Russia hoax isn’t an easy-to-learn bumper sticker; it’s a full Russian novel.

If you’re trying to explain to your leftist friends that Trump did not collude with the Russians and, instead, that the Deep State, working with the mainstream media, intentionally and deliberately engaged in a long-running coup against Trump, good luck. Within about 20 sentences, their eyes will glaze over, and they’ll tell you that you sound like a raving conspiracy theorist.

It’s irrelevant to them that you can back up every statement with documentary proof and under-oath admissions from within the FBI. Complicated facts don’t work for a New York Times audience with a short attention span that’s captured only by stories that begin, “Orange man bad….”

Enter Professor Lipson. With lucid prose, he explains exactly what you need to know to understand the immensity of the Russia hoax. This post offers just a few introductory paragraphs from his article at The Bridge (a publication of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University). It’s up to you to click the link and read the article in its entirety. After you do, you will not be confused but will, instead, have a sound understanding of the blatant crimes and immoral conduct in which government bureaucrats engaged.
Related, Capt. Ed at Hot Air, Turley Wonders: Why Are Media Outlets Uninterested In A Modern Watergate?,  also Graham: The FBI Lied About The Steele Dossier To Congress In 2018 — And “Somebody Needs To Go To Jail”  "Stay tuned next week. You’re going to find, not only did the FBI lie to the FISA court. They lied their ass off to the Congress."  Also,  Dan Chaitin at WaEx, Ex-Flynn deputy KT McFarland: John Durham has 'cold, hard evidence' that will lead to indictments. Yes, but can he convict in a D.C. courtroom? Another reason to move the nation's capital to Fargo, ND.
“Now, there is cold, hard evidence. It turns out that these senior officials in the intelligence community and the FBI, they all took notes. They all texted each other. They all had handwritten notes of meetings,” McFarland said on Monday. “And from what I'm hearing, the Durham investigation and the Justice Department is getting to the point where I think we can expect some indictments before the end of the summer."

Attorney General William Barr appointed Durham more than a year ago to investigate misconduct by federal law enforcement and intelligence officials during the Russia investigation. The Justice Department has signaled that it expects "developments" in Durham's investigation by the end of the summer.
Elad Hakim at Da Fed  Why John Durham Should Release His Spygate Findings Before November. If the Democrats get it, they won't be shy about shutting it all down. All that bullshit about not interfering in investigations, is just that, bullshit. When the shoe is on the other foot, they won't hesitate to bring the boot heel down on the neck of justice.
Historically, the Department of Justice has refrained from taking any action for partisan purposes. As reported in Just Security:
. . .
Apparently, this policy has been interpreted so broadly as to prohibit conduct that could even suggest the appearance of partisanship.

While this policy makes sense overall, it does not make sense in this case for several compelling reasons. First, there is no evidence that Durham’s investigation is partisan in nature or that it is being conducted for partisan political purposes like the Michael Flynn and Roger Stone investigations. Durham’s investigation began long ago and well before Americans were seriously thinking about the 2020 elections.

Second, the purpose of Durham’s investigation appears to align with the department’s mission. Specifically, through his investigation, Durham is seeking to protect the integrity of the election process in the United States. More particularly, Durham is investigating whether one or more people were involved in a plot to sabotage a presidential candidate or to overthrow a duly elected president.
Today, Bill Barr has been called before the House to testify (remember, they impeached him) and Breitbart expects AG Barr to Nuke House Democrats: Covering Up for ‘Russiagate,’ Demonizing Police or as the slanted Wapoo puts it, Barr plans to mount a defiant defense of Trump in showdown with House Democrats. Sundance at CTH take time out of his busy schedule to post his opening statement in Attorney General Bill Barr Releases Opening Statement to House Judiciary Committee…  Sounds promising:
We are in a time when the political discourse in Washington often reflects the politically divided nation in which we live, and too often drives that divide even deeper. Political rhetoric is inherent in our democratic system, and politics is to be expected by politicians, especially in an election year. While that may be appropriate here on Capitol Hill or on cable news, it is not acceptable at the Department of Justice. At the Department, decisions must be made with no regard to political pressure—pressure from either end of Pennsylvania Avenue, or from the media or mobs.

Ever since I made it clear that I was going to do everything I could to get to the bottom of the grave abuses involved in the bogus “Russiagate” scandal, many of the Democrats on this Committee have attempted to discredit me by conjuring up a narrative that I am simply the President’s factotum who disposes of criminal cases according to his instructions. Judging from the letter inviting me to this hearing, that appears to be your agenda today. So let me turn to that first.

As I said in my confirmation hearing, the Attorney General has a unique obligation. He holds in trust the fair and impartial administration of justice. He must ensure that there is one standard of justice that applies to everyone equally and that criminal cases are handled even-handedly, based on the law and the facts, and without regard to political or personal considerations.I can tell you that I have handled criminal matters that have come to me for decision in this way
Julie Kelly at AmGreat reports that, fresh off his settlement with WaPoo, Sandmann Lawyer Agrees to Represent Carter Page. Ace, Nick Sandman's Lawyer, "Lawyer for the Damned" Lin Wood: I've Signed On to Sue the Shit Out of Carter Page's False Accusers
Update: Lin Wood announces that CNN and the Washington Post are in breach of its settlements -- which included confidentially clauses -- by permitting its idiot "contributors" and actual employees to comment on the case.

RCP, OAN News Report: Court Filing Shows Hunter Biden Earned $156 Million From Ukraine Corruption. Coke, hookers and paternity settlements don't grow on trees, after all.



Linked at 357 Magnum in Wednesday Link Roundup.

Tuesday's Temptations


The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Summertime 2D Girls up and running as per normal.

Monday, July 27, 2020

Potomac River Doomed!

An invasive species of water chestnut covers the surface
 of a lake in Fairfax County, VA. (Nancy Rybicki)
At least that's what the Bay Journal wants you to believe if you don't give somebody a bunch of money to take care of  a new Invasive water plant poised to overwhelm Potomac watershed
It springs to life each year in freshwater ponds and lakes as temperatures rise. By the middle of summer, the foliage is so thick and bushy at the surface that the water below is plunged into darkness, with hardly any oxygen seeping in from the air above.

Across Northern Virginia, the invasive aquatic plant has spread to dozens of locations, according to state and federal scientists. It looks a lot like Trapa natans, the water chestnut that has blanketed waterways on Maryland’s Upper Shore and the Northeast United States, but it isn’t.
The invasive species of water chestnut, Trapa bispinosa, 

It’s a different type of water chestnut: Trapa bispinosa. And Northern Virginia is the first place it has been found growing in the country.
Biologists want to keep it that way.

If eradication efforts don’t ramp up soon, though, they warn that the species could spread beyond its current backwater haunts to the Potomac River and become a much bigger ecological headache. The 400-mile river’s currents could whisk T. bispinosa seeds just about anywhere, dampening hopes of containing the invasive plant, said Nancy Rybicki, a George Mason University professor and retired U.S. Geological Survey aquatic plant ecologist.
The seed pods of Trapa bispinosa,

“Here, we have a chance to manage it while it’s only in stormwater ponds, farm ponds and homeowners association ponds,” she said. “This horse is not out of the barn.”

The biggest obstacle, Rybicki said, is that no one seems to be in charge of dealing with the problem. There is no management plan to guide its removal and no agency with clear authority to tackle it.
I've heard to many of these horror stories to get too upset, Piranhas in California, Fire Ants in Florida (which are, to be sure, pretty nasty), African Bees everywhere and  Snakeheads in Maryland. Some invasive species do get established in places (the Piranhas never did), and while they do influence the local biota, and sometimes cause problems, the earth always fails to shatter.

7/27/20 Beach Report

Another hot, sunny day with just a little hint of breeze from the NW. As you can see, Long and Calvert Beaches are all but unoccupied . . .
 While Matoaka has far less than the weekend crowds.
In this sadly overexposed shot, Skye enjoys her cool off in the creek that comes down by Matoaka, while . . .
I tried to figure out what this boat was doing just offshore. I couldn't see it was marked PARAMEDIC from the beach, but I could see the flashing red lights, and I'd never seen anything like it before. The stayed around a few minutes not doing too much, and then headed off to the south. I hope they're not looking for a missing person.
Got it! An OK day fossils. 15 very ordinary shark'steeth, a crab claw, a small ray plate and a large Tilly Bone.

What's New with the WuFlu?

Another pile of links in danger of getting stale in the digital fridge:

On the question of schools opening. We talked to a teacher on the beach today who was anxious to get back to school today, and didn't see a problem with it, but admitted some of her colleagues felt otherwise:

Schools reopening has not triggered rise in Covid-19 cases, EU ministers told | World news | The Guardian

Betsy DeVos: If Schools Won't Reopen Then Perhaps Families Should Get Those Education Funds Directly

Opinion | Please Don’t Make Me Risk Getting Covid-19 to Teach Your Child - The New York Times

For parents who can afford it, a solution for fall: Bring the teachers to them - The Washington Post

Stop the Fear-Porn: There Is No Reason Schools Should Be Closed. - YouTube

Althouse: "Scientists behind a Nordic study have found that keeping primary schools open during the coronavirus pandemic may not have had much bearing on contagion rates."

The Media Wants To Guilt-Trip Parents Over School ‘Pods’ – Reason.com
On the ever shifting science of WuFlu. Hey, science is supposed to change. But it's not supposed to shift because you fudge the data.

Coronavirus: Five Reasons Public Health Experts Have Lost Credibility | American Council on Science and Health

Connecticut pathologist's study shows CDC coronavirus test kits generate 30% false positive results

COVID-19 Conversation Is Plagued With Misinformation

Concerns arise as some receive positive COVID-19 results but never got tested

The Models Were Wildly Wrong about Reopening Too – AIER

NYT Fudges Data To Claim Huge Spike In COVID-19 Hospitalizations

The Everchanging Science of Covid-19 | City Journal "Medical evidence is not always clear, and it rarely mandates a clear policy direction."

Coronavirus Infections Far Exceed Reported Cases, CDC Says - Bloomberg

California's Got The Most Coronavirus Cases, Yet the Media Keeps Bashing Red States | Frontpagemag

Alas, Cities Finally Confirm What We Already Knew Regarding the Spike in COVID Cases and admitted protests may have played a big role

Mainstream Media Oddly Silent as Virus Case Numbers Rise in Portland and Seattle. I wonder why?

Florida Is A Case Study In Media-Induced COVID-19 Panic – Issues & Insights. Much less bad then it's being made out to be.

Ace of Spades HQ Covid Credibility Lost – Contradictory Epidemiology Pronouncements & Fraudulent Statistics

Fresh at Instapundit » Blog Archive » ECONOMIST ALAN REYNOLDS (no relation), on Facebook: “Federal guidelines advise that states wait u…
In [this Johns Hopkins] visualization, states that appear in shades of orange have experienced a growth in new cases over the past two weeks. States that appear in shades of green have seen declines in cases over the same period of time. The shade of the colors indicates the size of each state’s growth or decline in new cases; the darker the shade, the bigger the change.”

“Green” States in with a declining 14-day trend of new cases include, among others, Texas, Florida, Arizona and (most recently) California.

Nearly all Western states except Oklahoma are trending flat or down, as well as most of the South except Louisiana and Mississippi. In the East, only Rhode Island has a declining trend of new COVID-19 cases.

If this sounds like the exact opposite of what you’ve been hearing from the news, don’t blame the facts.
Retracted coronavirus (COVID-19) papers – Retraction Watch. Lots of junk science

Doomsayers Keep Getting It Wrong - YouTube



How is treatment progressing? 

Hydroxychloroquine could save up to 100,000 lives if used for COVID-19: Yale epidemiology professor | Fox News Too bad it's being suppressed to hurt Trump and help Democrats.

The Key to Defeating COVID-19 Already Exists. We Need to Start Using It | Opinion - The "hydroxy."

Coronavirus: Protein treatment trial 'a breakthrough' - BBC News

How Long Does COVID-19 Immunity Last? - The Atlantic

The people with hidden immunity against Covid-19 - BBC Future

Breaking: Oxford vaccine shows "dual immune" action in trials – HotAir

What happens when flu meets COVID-19? – HotAir. Sometimes one disease suppresses another. It would be nice, but don't count on it.

And the general politics or it all?

State Department Cables Warned of China's Wuhan Lab Two Years Ago

Swiped from Maggie's Farm
During lockdowns, some doctors wondered: Where are the preemies? – HotAir

Mike Rowe Answers a Fan Letter About COVID-19 -- It Probably Wasn't the Answer They Expected

Cuomo Policies Killed 6,000 People and He's Proud of It